Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Want to bike the bridge? Speak up!

Can you spare a Friday morning to join with other concerned cyclists for a review hearing of the Ohio Department of Transportation plans for the Innerbelt Bridge at the Cleveland Planning Department?

ODOT says they will not provide bike and pedestrian access to the Innerbelt Bridge (unlike more than thirty communities across the country), although it would provide a dramatic, beautiful and practical connection to downtown Cleveland. ClevelandBikes has disagreed with them from the start and will continue to press for bike and pedestrian access. There is a rumor that ODOT is willing to expand the Abbey Avenue Bridge, which would still present safety questions (just as their earlier suggestion that cyclists and pedestrians could travel over through the flats).

On Friday morning, Cleveland Planning Commission will hold a public hearing with ODOT regarding the design for the new Innerbelt Bridge. Please join us and let ODOT that you care about bike and pedestrian access on the new innerbelt bridge.

While the first, overwhelming, preference is for you to attend the Friday Cleveland Planning Commission hearing to let ODOT know you like bikes and you want them to let you "Bike the Bridge" when they create a new Innerbelt Bridge, you may have other responsibilities. If you can't attend personally, please contact the City and ODOT to let them know you ride, you vote, you pay taxes and Ohio needs to join other communities around the country that are adopting transportation solutions that help promote healthy cycling and walking, not just riding a car -- "WE WANT TO BIKE THE BRIDGE!"

You can contact the city, which has been HELPFUL, and the state, which has been RESISTANT, here: